Joshua Kimmich, Aleksander Pavlovic, and Leon Goretzka are the three players that coach Vincent Kompany has fielded in midfield for Bayern so far in the Club World Cup. Two others are still waiting for their chance—one of them with little prospect of playing.
There is no way around Joshua Kimmich at FC Bayern Munich; the captain of the German national team is the designated playmaker for his coach Vincent Kompany. Leon Goretzka and Aleksandar Pavlovic were Kimmich’s partners in the first two games.
Joao Palhinha and new signing Tom Bischof, on the other hand, are still waiting for their chance to play in this year’s Club World Cup under the Belgian FCB coach.
The qualities of Goretzka and Pavlovic
Goretzka works hard, is diligent, closes down space defensively and tries to occupy the right areas offensively. The former Schalke player is strong in the air and his shot from distance is also impressive. However, he rarely finds himself in these situations because he is also responsible for covering the counterattack, among other things.
Pavlovic, meanwhile, is more of a playful driving force, has good first touch and usually turns straight forward to speed up the game. Whereas Goretzka is more dangerous in front of goal, the 21-year-old is more of a second playmaker alongside Kimmich. He is normally confident on the ball and very direct in his play.
The trend is against Joao Palhinha
The defensive performance of Munich’s midfield will once again be crucial for the knockout stages of the Club World Cup, for which Bayern have already qualified (only their opponent is still to be determined). Who will close the gaps? Who has the best understanding of the balance between attacking drive and defensive awareness?
Joao Palhinha, for example, was brought in last year as a defensive midfielder for almost €50 million. However, coach Kompany’s system and tactics do not explicitly include this position. That is precisely why the Portuguese player is up for sale. As the past season and the tournament so far have shown, the Munich head coach has little use for the Portuguese player and former FC Fulham player.
Will this change? Probably not.
The Munich club would like to sell Joao Palhinha after only one year – and keep the loss within limits. But does the Portuguese player even want to leave? Sporting prospects are no longer the decisive factor in the future plans of a Bayern professional, because the monthly salary paid in Munich is unmatched elsewhere in relation to the demands of the job.
And then there is new signing Bischof, who is still waiting to make his debut in the Munich jersey. However, it is likely only a matter of time before he gets his chance.
